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close attention as the affair works through the Boards. We’ve seen letters and petitions from all sides. We’ve talked with our attorney, read the case law, considered how other towns handle such conflicts, reviewed Wall Street Journal articles and white papers off the internet. This is one of the most divisive issues Jerome has dealt with in years. It’s a major problem not only for us, but for the entire country. Beach resorts, mountain retreats, any community deemed interesting or attractive—all are facing this issue: a serious conflict over the concept of residential zoning. Even the French report it’s now impossible to find an apartment in Paris, because all the housing has been turned into “Vacation Rentals” for well-to-do tourists. The sparrows are chirping. The sun is shining. A hawk circles overhead. Merde!

POINT OF VIEW JEROME’S NEWSLETTER

February – March 2013

Meeting Dates for February, March, April 2013 Regular Council Meeting April 9 at 7:00 pm

Planning & Zoning April 3 at 7:00 pm

Design Review Board April 8 at 7:00 pm

Regular Council Meeting February 12 at 7:00 pm

Planning & Zoning February 6 at 7:00 pm

Design Review Board February 11 at 7:00 pm

Regular Council Meeting March 12 at 7:00 pm

Planning & Zoning March 6 at 7:00 pm

Design Review Board March 11 at 7:00 pm

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Hello dear residents. I am hoping that the New Year is treating you (and your water lines) well. 2013 is a special year, as we have survived the last few predicted apocalypses! Though the future remains unsure, we can deal with the days as they come, without the adrenaline and fear of instantaneous mass destruction. Phew. With all that anticipation out of my system, I look forward to bringing to completion our remaining list of budgeted tasks and working on the next wave of Town business.

From the Mayor

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February is usually a tough month… gloomy, bitter, and foreboding. But today—February 1—it’s warm and really pleasant. Spring is at least pretending to be here. In the last two days the Yavapai/ Apache have given Jerome a grant of $13,000 while

Freeport has given us an additional $22,000, for the walkway to the 300 level. Things seem hopeful, the birds are munching happily at my feeders, the chickens are laying again. Life is okay. But a fleeting shadow does

bother me. The Transient Rental debate rages on: Ms. Groseta presses forward, her neighbors demand a stop. The Council has been in executive session so often on this issue that I really don’t know any more what I‘m permitted to say. We’re certainly paying

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One exciting piece of news to report is that the Town has been awarded the Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation Social Investment Application grant in the amount of $22,000 that will be going towards the sidewalk project to provide safe passage for pedestrians from the 300 level parking lot into town. This will help everyone better utilize our parking resources, and I am very excited to see this work begin. I hope you all enjoy the early spring weather. Good luck with your spring projects!

Mayor Nikki Check

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Dear Jeromaniacs We hope for the best spring yet. Myself, what I dearly want is to have our apricot and peach trees bear fruit this year. Please please please participate in Jerome government. We can each have constructive input at meetings, and each of our voices is heard. What better way is there to find out if the outrageous, wild rumors you have heard are for real, than to attend Town meetings?

Anne Bassett

Jerome has gotten a second new water tank on Sunshine Hill for the holidays! So many exciting events, enjoy! Here's wishing you all happiness, friendship, good neighbor relations, warmth and health. And, natch, for all to take up the marvelous democratic opportunity for each voice to be heard that living in Jerome offers. Thus will we shape our future.

Anne Bassett

Thank You! As of this issue of the newsletter, I am starting on my fourth year of putting it together, following the previous years of hard work by Kathleen Jarvis, Judy Robinson, Al Palmieri and Town staff. I would like to thank all those who have submitted articles, information and comment – everyone is extremely busy and I appreciate those of you who have taken the time to communicate with your friends, constituents and neighbors. I am planning to change the distribution date to the middle of the month, so the next issue would be coming out around the week of April 15. If you have anything of interest to the Town or photos, please submit them to me at r.shemaitis@jerome.az.gov.

Rosemarie Shemaitis

Update on Jerome’s General Plan Update! WHAT IS A GENERAL PLAN? A general plan is a city’s road map for the future. It describes a community’s aspirations and identifies strategies for managing preservation and change. General plans typically include goals, policies, implementing actions and supporting graphics. These components work together to convey a long-term vision, and guide local decision-making to achieve that vision.

The general plan also plays an important role in regulating land use. Its policies and maps form the foundation for Town ordinances, guidelines and plans. Over the past few years some work has been done by the Planning Department and citizens of Jerome to update the 1981 Jerome Comprehensive (General) Plan. While much has remained the same both in Town and with the old plan, the update will provide goals and policies that will reflect present-day community values and priorities and will bring Jerome into compliance with current state laws and local ordinances.

WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? The Steering Committee will be announced in the beginning of February. The first step to be taken by the Steering committee will be over-seeing the development of the General Plan vision. The goal of the visioning process is for the community to articulate important values, identify assets and opportunities, and outline key areas for change and preservation. These components will build the foundation for development of the General Plan goals, policies and actions. Two meetings will be held monthly, one committee meeting and one work session, with a projected plan completion date of March 2014. Work sessions will be held for members of the committee and public to join together, for the purpose of providing ideas and input for the plan update. Regular committee meetings will be used to analyze and draft the plan from the ideas developed in the work sessions. If you have any questions, please contact:

Carmen Ogden Zoning Administrator

928-634-7943

Hi Neighbors! Did you notice that the Town Crew has replaced the sidewalk from the Miner’s Cottage downhill toward the Church? That was a dangerous broken up stretch of concrete, but it is safe now. Additionally, the hand rail on the east steps of the Upper Park also was repaired. One of the uprights on the end had rusted out and was flapping in the wind, but they fixed it, and it’s as strong as Superman now.

This and other not so obvious public works is demonstrating that our newish Director of Public Works, Dwain Dement, will be an excellent replacement for our soon-to-retire crew chief, Wally Coates. If you see Wally, be sure to thank him for his many years of service to Jerome. We wish him well.

Yesterday, a citizen commented to me that there is a street drainage problem on Center Street. So, I am going to bring that issue up wit our Town Manager, Candace Gallagher and we’ll get it on the to-do list. Addressing the needs and requirements of Jeromans is one of the duties of the Town staff and the Common Council. So, if see a problem, tell one of us. We’ll either put it on the list to repair, or tell you why we can’t do it.

Phinney

Town Holiday Schedule Town Hall will be closed Monday, February 18, for President’s Day. Trash will be picked up on Tuesday morning.

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Fire Is Unpredictable – Create a Defensible Space

Fire can find the weak link in your home’s fire protection scheme and

gain the upper hand because of a small, overlooked or seemingly

inconsequential factor. Create a defensible space around your home. A defensible space is an area around a structure where fuels and vegetation are treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire towards the structure. It also reduces the chance of a structure fire moving from the building to the surrounding area.

Defensible space provides room for firefighters to do their jobs. Your house is more likely to withstand a wildfire if grasses, brush, trees and other common forest fuels are managed to reduce a fire’s intensity. Jerome is unique as many homes are very close together. Work with your neighbors and friends to make your neighborhood safer. For more information on creating defensible spaces check the Jerome Fire Department web site at www.jeromefd.org

During 2012, your Jerome Fire Department responded to 298 calls for service. These calls were for emergency medical services, fire, rescue, vehicle accidents and special duties. Several of these calls were to the Verde Valley to assist other fire agencies. We have standing agreements for automatic aid with all the Verde Valley agencies and they also respond to Jerome as needed.

Our volunteer members participated in over 100 training exercises in 2012. Future exciting training sessions this coming year include two days of live propane fire training in Glendale, vehicle extrication and vehicle firefighting in Jerome and ongoing rope rescue drills. Besides our normal training we have four members attending the fire academy this semester at Yavapai Community College. Also, we have two structures in Jerome that we plan to use for fire drills and then let the structure burn to the ground. This will help the property owners in removing unwanted buildings and help the fire department with training. Both structures are small – about 400 square feet of modern construction.

This May 25 & 26, Jerome will be hosting the Volunteer Firefighters of Arizona Association annual conference and drills. There will be volunteer firefighters from across the state participating.

Also, some of our members will participate in a Firefighter/Bombero exchange program with the fire department in San Luis RC, Sonora, Mexico. Our firefighters will spend five days working at their station and going on all the calls. San Luis has a population of

Jerome Fire Department Rusty Blair, Chief JVFD

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240,000 people. This is a great opportunity as they respond to an average of 22 calls per day.

We will be having the fire department’s fire extinguishers serviced on February 12th. The B & W service company will be here most of the day. If you would like your extinguishers checked and serviced for $5.00, bring them to the fire station around noon of February 12th or before. For further information call 649-3034. They will also have fire extinguishers for sale.

The Annual Mardi Gras Dance is on February 16, 2013 and the doors open at 7:30 PM. I hope to see you there.

This type of event takes a lot of work and help is always appreciated by anyone willing to lend a hand. It benefits not only the fire department, but also the community as a whole. If you would like to help out with this and possible future events, come to an auxiliary meeting and join our group. Friendly and helpful faces are always welcome!!!

The Fire Department is always looking for new members for fire or EMS or both. Free training, cool t-shirts, and drive big trucks with red lights. 5:00 PM, every Thursday. Come on down and see what we do. Everybody is welcome.

Thank you for your continued support.

Jerome Chamber News Hello from the newly elected Jerome Chamber of Commerce! The Executive Board will hold their first general meeting Wednesday, February 6, at 8:30 a.m. on the third floor of the Jerome Fire Department. Refreshments will be provided and all are invited and encouraged to attend. We are all very excited to start this new chapter within the Jerome Chamber and this week, members from the Board initiated the first of many visits to current Chamber members, wanting to get their perspective on how the Chamber could best benefit their business. The conversations are starting and information is starting to flow. The Board is sincerely committed to the stability and steady, manageable growth of commerce in Jerome, and is seeking dialogue with each Chamber member.

We have not yet met with every member but, as a start, it has been suggested that each member write a short description of their business that would be used in the Chamber Visitor Center each day. This gives our staff member some welcome information to pass on to visitors to the Town of Jerome. Please, if we missed you, write us an email with a description of your business at info@jeromechamber.com or submit it to us during the next Chamber meeting. We look forward to seeing you there!

Liz Gale, President Jerome Chamber of Commerce

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Jerome Humane Society Clinic Hours

Thursdays Noon – 5:00 p.m.

Clinic Phone: 634-6166 (during clinic hours only)

Appt. Phone: 639-1341

Jerome Humane Society Nothing says Happy Valentines Day like a new kitty or two! Consider Mariah and Pita. Shorthair grey and white tabby sisters – indoor only, playful and loving.

They are one year old and very bonded. Call Sally 301-5079 or Marge 639-1341 for more info. Dog person? We are looking for a stable home for a young female

German Shepard. She was saved from an ill fate at the Coconino Humane Society in Flagstaff about six weeks ago. Shortly thereafter she gave birth to ten puppies. Can you give her a fresh start? The Jerome Humane Society is sponsoring the installation of several stations to dispense biodegradable dog waste pickup bags. The JHS will provide and install the stations and will also maintain and stock the stations at no cost to the town. We feel that this will benefit residents and visitors alike by making it convenient to dispose of the waste, and will improve quality of life for everyone. The station design and five locations have been approved by Council and Design Review Board. The locations are:

1. Jerome Humane Society – lower parking lot at Town Hall

2. Middle Park 3. Lower Park, near Sliding Jail 4. Main Street, past New State Motor Building,

along the sidewalk 5. School Street, near the base of the flume

Based on neighborhood input, we will consider additional locations.

THANK YOU JEROME FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Mariah and Pita

Spaces for Rent at Jerome Civic Center Three studio/office spaces are available on the first floor at Town Hall. Call 928-634-7943, if interested. To move in to any of them, you will need first and last month’s rent plus a key deposit. There is a monthly utility charge of $50 for each rental space. Studio 1 is 608 sq. ft. for $475.60 per month, including the utility charge. Studio 2 is 630 sq. ft. for $491.00 and Studio 3 is 661 sq. ft. for $512.70. The income generated from these spaces directly supports the Jerome Public Library.

Thanks a Million!!!! Well another year is over and it is time to thank all who helped Fred and I in Decorating the Park by donating their time, money or lights. Without your help we could not have done it. So thanks to the following people: Bernie & Joyce Molasky, Carl Miller, Chris Cobb, Loretta Anguiano, Jerry and Ellen Vojnic, Henry Vincent, Walter and Rose Johnson, Melissa Wood, Mark Ondera, Jay

Kinsella, Janet Fairwell, and Steve DeJong. Thank you JP for the beverages after the

decorating was done. LOVE IT!! I also want to thank the following who helped me decorate Spook Hall for all of our holiday events. They are Rebekah

Kennedy, Fiona Kennedy, Karen Hernandez, Tara Ortiz, Katie Fowler, Kayla,

Janet Fairwell, Deborah Mongeon and Loretta Anguiano. With your help we had it done it record time. We had some problems with our tree this year but the manufacturer said we have a life-time warranty, so we will exchange it for a new one. We thought the park looked great this year and hoped you enjoyed it as well. Once again thank you. It was very much appreciated.

Diana & Fred Martin

Flu Shots Still Available in Cottonwood The Community Health Center of Yavapai County is still offering flu shots, by appointment only. At this printing, there are only about 45 doses left in Cottonwood, but they may be able to get more. If you do not have the flu and are concerned about it, you can receive a flu shot at their Cottonwood location at 51 Brian Mickelsen Parkway. They are open Monday through Friday and their hours are from 8:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. with a lunch break from 11:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. If you have no transportation, the Jerome Shuttle goes to Cottonwood every Wednesday, so you can call to make an appointment for that day. If you do not have health insurance, the cost is $30 for adults and $15 for those under 18 years of age. If you have insurance, you most likely will be covered. For more information, or to make an appointment, call them at 928.639.8132.

Audrey Margery and Smokey Hall – ‘Merican Gothi-cats

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Town of Jerome P.O. Box 335 Jerome, AZ 86331

Boxholder

US POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM

86331 PERMIT NO 5

JEROME PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOKS * VIDEOS * INTERNET * FAX

COPY MACHINE * SCANNER * PRINTER

Phone/Fax 928-639-0574

Drawer I, Jerome, AZ 86331 Sunday 10 am – 2 pm Thursday Noon – 8 pm Monday 10 am – 5 pm Friday Noon – 6 pm Tuesday Noon – 8 pm Saturday CLOSED Wednesday 10 am – 5 pm

From the Jerome Post Office A stamp increase went into effect January 27, 2013. The stamps are now .46 cents for a letter and postcard stamps are now .33 cents. Rates for Flat Rate Priority have also increased.

The new stamp coming out is the new Sealed with Love stamp. It is available to purchase on 1/30/13.

The guidelines for sending perfume in the mail are as follow:

• You can send up to 16 oz. of perfume domestically at a time.

• Only one bottle of perfume per box, even if it is less than the 16 oz.

• You should make sure there is sufficient cushion to prevent any damage. The container must be strong enough to prevent crushing of the package.

• When mailing perfume, it cannot be sent Express, Priority, or First Class mail. The package must be marked “Surface Only.”

• You are not able to send perfume out of the country. Thank you,

Tris Steward, OIC (928) 634-8241

Greetings From Haven Happy New Year, Peace and Blessings to one and all. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas. For those who did not make it to our Christmas Eve service, Wow! You missed out because the youth and children of Haven UMC did a terrific job with the pageant on the story of the babe at the Inn. There are photos on the website at www.havenchurchjerome.org to look at from the Christmas Eve service. The Haven UMC Choir sounded angelic as they sang. There was even a write up in the Verde Valley newspaper on the front page with photos.

So this is the beginning of a New Year (2013) for everyone.

To our friends at Haven UMC and in Jerome… A New Year Wish...

We wish you Health... So you may enjoy each day in comfort. We wish you the Love of friends and family... And Peace within your heart. We wish you the Beauty of nature... That you may enjoy the work of God. We wish you Wisdom to choose priorities... For those things that really matter in life. We wish you Generosity so you may share... All good things that come to you. We wish you Happiness and Joy... And Blessings for the New Year. We wish you the best of everything... That you so well deserve.

DATES TO REMEMBER February 3 – Communion

Sunday. February 13 - Ash Wednesday.

March 24 - Palm Sunday 9:00 a.m. service. March 28 - Maunday Thursday

6:00 p.m. service. March 29 - Good Friday.

March 31 - Easter Sunrise service 7:00 a.m., and regular 9:00 a.m. service.

Be in peace this coming year. Peace and Grace,

Michael and Janet Keffer Haven United Methodist Church

597 Main Street P.O. Box 186

Jerome, AZ. 86331 (928) 639-3871

jeromechurch@juno.com

News From the Jerome Library Looking for a cool Jerome gift?

The Library is offering T-shirts and books for $20 each. Proceeds benefit the Jerome Library.

The Library will be closed Monday, February 18, for President's Day.